In many cellular communication systems, a base station transmits synchronization signals that are used by communication terminals for synchronizing to the base station signal. In cellular networks that operate in accordance with the Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA) standards, for example, each base station (referred to as eNodeB) transmits Synchronization Channels (SCH) to mobile communication terminals (referred to as User Equipment—UE). E-UTRA is also referred to as Long Term Evolution (LTE) or LTE-Advanced (LTE-A). Some E-UTRA eNodeBs precode the SCH signals with alternating precoding vectors in order to enable UEs to receive the SCH with improved signal to noise ratio. This mechanism is referred to as Precoding Vector Switching (PVS).
Processing of SCH signals in E-UTRA eNodeBs and UEs is specified, for example, by the Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) in “Technical Specification Group Radio Access Network; Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access (E-UTRA); Physical Channels and Modulation (Release 10),” 3GPP TS 36.211, version 10.3.0, September, 2012, section 6.11, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The description above is presented as a general overview of related art in this field and should not be construed as an admission that any of the information it contains constitutes prior art against the present patent application.